With cutting-edge medical advances, you can now often get limb salvage surgery instead of amputating your foot after serious injury or medical conditions. Understand how limb salvage surgery works, and why no part of the foot is too small to save.
When many people think of arthritis they imagine pain in the hands, hips, and knees, but it can affect any joint in the body — including the toes, feet, and ankles. Fortunately, there are a variety of treatment options available.
Here at Podiatry Hotline Foot & Ankle in Mission Viejo, California, Dr. Thomas Rambacher offers both surgical and nonsurgical treatment options for foot and ankle issues, including arthritis. If you’re having trouble walking or having to cut back on activities you love due to arthritis pain in your feet, come in to see us.
We administer personalized cutting-edge treatment with as little downtime as possible. Plus you get direct access to Dr. Rambacher via his cell phone in case you have a question after your appointment.
Healthy joints have connective tissue known as cartilage between the bones that cushions the pressure when you move. With osteoarthritis, the cartilage gets worn away, allowing the bones to rub together, which causes swelling and pain. Foot arthritis can lead to a loss of strength, flexibility, and function, as well as reduced mobility.
With our body weight bearing down on our feet with each step we take, it's no wonder wear and tear on our joints develops over time. Close to half of people develop arthritis in their feet by their 60s and 70s.
In addition to aging, being overweight and having a family history can increase your likelihood of arthritis in your feet. Women who have worn high-heeled shoes for many years can be at greater risk, too.
In addition to osteoarthritis, gout is another type of arthritis that can affect the big toe, and can make it painful for your foot to push off the ground when walking. With gout, high levels of uric acid collect in the blood and cause sodium urate crystals to build up around the big toe joint, leading to pain.
There are lots of things we can do to help reduce the pain of your foot arthritis. Pain relievers can help with discomfort, while anti-inflammatory medication can decrease swelling in the joints.
Wearing proper-fitting shoes with support and rubber soles for cushioning is essential. Or we can make you special orthotic inserts or custom shoes to support your foot and ankle.
Specialized exercises to stretch the Achilles tendon and toes can help with strength and flexibility. Using canes or braces for support, and losing weight (if you need to) may improve arthritis pain as well.
Other treatment options Dr. Rambacher may recommend include steroid injections, fusing the joints together to lessen friction, or surgically removing any troublesome bone spurs. We also offer stem cell therapy to help regenerate new cartilage.
If you're tired of arthritis pain in your feet making you uncomfortable and reducing your mobility, Dr. Rambacher is ready to treat your foot arthritis. You can call our office or use the online booking tool to make an appointment today.
You Might Also Enjoy...
With cutting-edge medical advances, you can now often get limb salvage surgery instead of amputating your foot after serious injury or medical conditions. Understand how limb salvage surgery works, and why no part of the foot is too small to save.
If you have diabetes, one part of your body that needs special attention and care is your feet. Find out more about the link between diabetes and your feet, and what you can as a diabetic do to take care of them.
Unmanaged, Morton’s neuroma can make it difficult to play sports and limit mobility. Fortunately, lifestyle changes help treat it. Keep reading to find out what lifestyle habits can aggravate Morton’s neuroma, and the simple changes you can make.
If you’ve gone through or been told you need surgery for your ACL, you’re likely eager to know when you can return to your favorite sports. Learn how time and careful post-operative rehabilitation can help you play the sports you love again.
Initially, getting an ingrown toenail might not seem like a big deal, but ignoring an ingrown toenail without resolving the issue can ultimately lead to severe problems. Here’s why you should always get your ingrown toenail professionally treated.
These days, there are a number of minimally invasive bunions removal procedures that permanently get rid of your bunions, with minimal pain and recovery time. Discover more about proximal and distal osteotomy and which is right for you.